UUPG Gheg in Belgium

People Name Gheg Albanians Country Belgium Status Unengaged Unreached Population 177,000 Language Gheg Albanian Religion Islam Written Scripture Yes Oral Scripture Yes Jesus Film Yes Gospel Recordings Yes Christ Followers No Churches No "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest Workers Needed 3 to send out workers into His harvest." Workers Reported 0 Photo: Anonymous

INTRODUCTION / HISTORY WHAT ARE THEIR BELIEFS? and represent His Kingdom on earth. (Mt The Albanians are believed to be Centuries ago, many Albanians were 6:9-10, Rom 12:2, 2 Cor 3:18) descendants of the Illyrians, who were the converted to Islam by the Ottoman Turks. original inhabitants of the western Balkan However, they practiced a type of "folk * Pray for every opposing spirit to give way Peninsula. In the sixth century, migrating Islam," which embraced occult practices to the liberating, life-giving gospel of the Slavs began to settle on Illyrian territory such as praying to the dead, seeking cures Lord Jesus Christ, the coming King. (James and pushed the Illyrians into what is for sickness, and praying for protection 4:7, 2 Cor 10:4-5, 1 Cor 15:58, Mt 18:18) present-day . The Albanians are from spirits and curses. divided into two major groups, the Gheg SOURCES and the Tosk, according to which Albanian WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS? https://goo.gl/Yav1QR dialect they speak. The two dialects differ The Albanians in Belgium need advanced https://goo.gl/sIQZIx slightly in vocabulary and pronunciation. In language skills and educational https://goo.gl/a0DBrb the 1950s it was decided that the Tosk opportunities so they can thrive in https://goo.gl/ugy3Hy dialect would be used in all Albanian Belgium’s highly advanced economy. publications, since it was the one most widely spoken in Albania. In addition to PRAYER POINTS differences in dialect, the Gheg and the * Pray urgently (deomai) for the Lord to Tosk also have many social differences. The thrust out (ekballo) workers to this people Gheg are a very stern and courageous group. (Mt 9:37-38, Lk 10:2 and Jn 4:35) people while the Tosk are known to be friendly, lively, and talkative. The collapse of * Pray for the Holy Spirit to equip, the communist regime in 1991 brought on empower, and guide these laborers to bear numerous traumatic and rapid changes in fruit through disciple-making and church- Albania, leaving the people with an identity planting movements within this people crisis. Some have decided to move to group. (Mt 18:8, Mk 4:8, Jn 15:8) Western European countries like Belgium to make a better living. * Ask the Holy Spirit to multiply these movements until there is no place left in WHAT ARE THEIR LIVES LIKE? this people group where Christ is not Albanians in Western are noted for preached or known. (Mt 24:14, Mt criminal activity but most work blue collar 28:18-20, Acts 19:10, Rom 15:23) jobs. The ones who make the headlines are those who are involved with organized * Ask that these movements transform this crime, giving Albanians a bad name. people group’s culture to fully glorify God

FTT # 2796 www.finishingthetask.com May 2017